Upstart Crow

Synopsis

Episode 1 - The Green-Eyed Monster
William Shakespeare is on a mission to achieve upward mobility for himself and his family. With his old rival, Robert Greene, firmly in place as the Master of Heralds, William’s ambitions seems doomed. However, when he meets an African Prince, Otello, William devises a plan to secure the much needed support of the aristocracy.

Episode 2 - I Know Thee Not Old Man
William is about to go to Stratford to get some writing done when an old teacher decides to visit. The teacher’s visit conjures terrible childhood memories that William would rather forget.

Episode 3 - I Did Adore a Twinkling Star
When his nemesis, Robert Greene, tricks William into writing a dark tragedy for an aristocratic client who like romances, the Bard has to write a new play before it’s too late.

Episode 4 - Food of Love
William’s new play about twins who are separated at birth and given the same name attracts the criticism of being too far fetched. Undaunted, he decides to us the songs of the Tudor Music legend, Thomas Morley, to create his first ever musical.

Episode 5 - Beware My Sting
Buoyed by the success of his new play, "The Taming of the Shrew", William decides to try out Petruchio’s strategy for managing women; on the female members of his own family. He’s surprised to discover that it’s much harder to make life imitate art.

Episode 6 - Sweet Sorrow
The completion of "Romeo and Juliet" gives Williams he unenviable task of telling the seasoned actors, Burbage and Condell, that they are too old to play the star-crossed, teenaged lovers. If Greene has his way, he whole production will be shut down by the Puritans!

Series

Series 2

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Television

Technical information

Colour / Sound

Year of release

2017

Subjects

Shakespeare

Keywords

family history; mobility; Othello (character)

Related items

Star Crossed Lovers

Credits

Director

Matt Lipsey; Richard Boden

Producer

Gareth Edwards

Cinematographer

Martin Kempton; Tony Keene

Writer

Ben Elton

Editor

Dominic Coleman; Jake Bernard

Music

Grant Olding

Production Design

Alex Beverley; Julian Fullalove

Costume

Leah Archer

Contributor

Fay Compton

Cast

David Mitchell
Gemma Whelan
Harry Enfield
Helen Monks
Jake J. Meniani
Jocelyn Jee Esien
Lisa Tarbuck
Mark Heap
Paula Wilcox
Rob Rouse
Spencer Jones
Steve Spiers
Steve Toussaint
Tim Downie

Production Company

Name

BBC Studios

Web

https://www.bbcstudios.com/ External site opens in new window

Distributor (VHS)

Name

BBC

Notes

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)